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5 Bass Fishing Tips
Although the Midwest is mainly well-known for walleye fishing, bass fishing is becoming more popular among anglers. Many have started bass fishing because of the challenging fight a bass gives anglers along with the exciting visual strikes. With the interest in bass fishing rising, more and more anglers are looking for bass fishing tips to make each outing successful. We decided to ask four highly respected anglers how to fish for bass, and they all shared a common bass fishing tip: you need to learn how to fish weeds.
Meet the Bass Fishing Experts:
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Jason Mitchell is the host of Jason Mitchell Outdoors TV
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John Cox is an MLF touring pro with over 30 top-10 finishes
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Matt Johnson is a Minneapolis area fishing guide
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Josh Douglas is a bass guide and fishing pro
Bass Fishing Tip #1: Fish the Weeds
The best largemouth bass fisheries frequently occur on natural lakes that have a balance between clear water and good weed growth. Once you find the area of the lake that has tall stands of coontail or thick matts of milfoil, you’ll want to follow your fish finder’s contour lines in order to land your cast right on the edge of the shallow weeds and deep water. Matt Johnson shares that his favorite bass bait for fishing deep weed edges include classic jig worms, Ned Rigs, Neko Rigs, and drop shot rigs.
Bass Fishing Tip #2: Recognize the Time of Day
If you’re struggling to catch bass, be ready to pivot your plan and move to deeper waters based on how busy the lake becomes throughout the day.
Recreational boating activity will often push bass further down the weed line, particularly at midday.
Bass Fishing Tip #3: Fish the Docks
Don’t forget about fishing the docks. John Cox suggests, “Early in the season, look for docks that have poles as bass will frequently bed around the poles.” He flips a Dirty Jig HP Flipping Jig rigged with a Berkley Maxscent Meaty Chunk trailer during this part of the season. “As the season progresses, bass will start to guard their fry, so throwing a topwater like a Berkley Choppo down the sides of the dock works extremely well to trigger a reaction.” Even further into the season, “Look for docks that stick out further or into deeper water.”
Bass Fishing Tip #4: Hot Day, Find the Lily Pads
If you’re wondering how to catch largemouth bass on a super hot summer day, Josh Douglas suggests that bass anglers should turn to lily pads within shallow bays or along the shorelines.
The key to finding bass in these pads is to find the bluegill. You can sometimes hear the bluegills popping at the surface or even physically see them.
When fishing in these conditions, Josh uses a weedless frog tied directly to a 50 to 60-pound braided fishing line.
Bass Fishing Tip #5: Find Rocks within the Milfoil
On those hot summer days, largemouth bass like to hang out in the pockets of rock found within heavy milfoil vegetation because it’s much cooler, shares Matt Johnson. “Because the milfoil can be so thick, finding rock inside the weeds can be difficult. Learn to read the second and third bottom echo on your electronics by manually adjusting the range out. Punch your jig through the weeds and work areas quickly.”
Bass Fishing Tip #6: Use the Right Set Up
If you’re a serious bass angler, make sure to have a few different setups available so you can match your fishing condition.
With these bass fishing tips, you’ll be able to create a plan for your time on the lake this summer. If you have other questions about fishing, stop by your local SCHEELS to speak with a Fishing Expert.
About our Experts
Josh grew up in Minnesota fishing walleye, northern, and muskie, but his uncle was the one who got him into bass fishing. He’s spent years fishing a variety of bass tournaments at both the state and national levels.
Jason Mitchell is an industry-leader in both ice and open-water fishing. He enjoys fishing for a variety of different species in the Midwest. He has been a partner with SCHEELS for over 10 years.